I remember stating that most chapters would have a DIR EN GREY song title for the chapter and that some wouldn't. Well this chapter contains a title that's from a song called 完全感覚 Dreamer (Kanzen Kankaku Dreamer) by ONE OK ROCK. I dug through my Japanese to English dictionary to find that Kanzen means perfect. I did this by looking up the word perfect in the English section then identifying the kanji used in the song title. I did the same for Kankaku as well. So what I'm saying is... it roughly (I stress roughly) means Perfect Sense Dreamer. I am in no way fluent in Japanese (although I wish I was) I just have Japanese to English dictionaries for fun. Also another note about the ingredients in the Dak-Galbi, gochujang is Korean Red Pepper Paste and gochugaru is Korean Red Pepper Flakes. Ddeok are rice cakes/noodle like thingies and mirin is rice wine vinegar. Anyone hungry all of the sudden? Alrighty then anyway here's the chapter - enjoy! Thanks! ^_^
PERFECT SENSE DREAMER
Just like the day before Kazue, set out doing the proper protocol for her tyrannical paternal grandfather - then made her way to meet up with her unofficial tour guide. To say she was excited wouldn't be far from the truth - but the sensation was more of an anxious sort of excitement. The Kazama never really got the chance to go out with friends and she wanted to enjoy herself.
She kept a steady pace as she walked to the agreed meeting place the two of them had organized the day before: the cutesy coffee shop not too far from the swanky hotel the Zaibatsu were staying in. As she neared her destination, a familiar shade of red hair came into view. She knew it had to be him simply for the fact that not many people around the area had that particular crimson hue.
Kazue stood for a moment to watch the Korean youth closely. He sat so casually with his booted feet placed on the table, crossed - while lazily sipping on what seemed to be a coffee. His gaze would shift to scan his surroundings shortly, and then he would go back to coolly sipping his hot drink. It fascinated her to watch him… so calm and collected, yet always vigilant of his surroundings and the people around him.
The young woman took a deep breath and made her way over. Each step she took made her stomach flip. Her nerves were starting to get the best of her, and to make matters worse, Hwoarang's gaze bore into her as she approached. He must have heard her footfalls as she came closer. He stared at her rather seriously with his drink pressed loosely to his bottom lip.
"Good morning." Kazue greeted with a polite bow before sitting opposite of the Korean youth.
The fiery red-haired man slowly swung his boots from the table to sit up properly, before finally mumbling a good morning back to the woman sat across from him.
Kazue sat quietly - as still as a stone statue guarding a temple. The Kazama wasn't sure what to say or even how to stir up conversation, her mind was blank. She fiddled with the hem of her shirt then anxiously placed her hands on the table fidgeting and yanking the hem of her sleeves.
The red-haired Korean raised a brow as he gazed at the young woman who nervously pulled at her shirt. He found it amusing how skittish she was compared to their encounter the day before. The Korean also figured she wasn't much of a conversationalist as well.
"I don't know about you but I still find noon to be too early. Say you wanna grab something to eat?" Hwoarang proposed, leaning on the table with his right arm resting flat on its surface.
Kazue peered up at him with an apprehensive glare written in her eyes - she smiled sheepishly before nodding her head agreeing with the redhead sat across from her.
"Where would be a good place to eat at? You know… besides here?" Kazue asked quietly, still pulling the sleeve of her shirt over her thumb.
Hwoarang sat back in his chair, folding his arms across his lean chest with lips pursed in thought. In his mind, he quickly ran through all his favorite places to grab a fast bite. Just as swiftly as they came to mind, a few were axed off the list. The Korean had to hope the woman wasn't too opposed to spicy foods and was willing to try new dishes.
"Well there are lots of places. Tons in fact! It is noon… so it all depends on what you're in the mood to eat. Then again - this is your first time to Korea, no?" The fiery youth replied rubbing the palms of his hands against the dark blue denim of his jeans.
Kazue smiled softly - nodding her head and making a quiet noise to confirm what he'd said. The young woman tried to speak rather than hum her confirmation but it seemed like her voice wanted to rebel against her wishes.
"Okay then… So how about Dak-Galbi? I know a place that makes really nice Dak-Galbi." Hwoarang smirked with a raised brow as he clapped his hands together.
Seeing the enthusiasm for the dish caused a hearty laugh to come from Kazue. The young woman was starting to feel relaxed enough to stop pulling so incessantly at the sleeves of her shirt. Instead, she placed her hands in her lap.
"Dak-Galbi. Alright… but what exactly is it?" The Kazama laughed softly while genuinely posing her inquiry.
Hwoarang let out a chuckle himself after Kazue asked him what Dak-Galbi was. He was glad that the young woman was becoming more social.
"Dak-Galbi is the best thing in the world! C'mom! Let's go grab some before it's all gone!" The Korean grinned as he came to stand on his feet – signaling Kazue to do the same with a wave of his hand.
The Kazama shook her head in amusement - a grin of her own gracing her features as she stood up to follow. The two began making their way down the street with Kazue staying close to Hwoarang: she didn't want to get lost.
The young woman was quick to take in the sights of the busy city streets, which seemed just as busy and hasty as the ones back home. There were many people crossing sidewalks, taxis zooming by, businesses and shops with their doors open. The sound of life was everywhere.
"So you're from Japan no? Where exactly? Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto?" Hwoarang asked - stuffing his hands into his denim pockets.
Kazue jumped slightly upon hearing Hwoarang's voice but quickly began thinking of a way to answer his question. The young woman gently wrapped her arms around herself in a hug of sorts while keeping up her pace to match his.
"Well… I was born in Yakushima. It's an island in the Kagoshima Prefecture. To be more specific… it's one of the Osumi Islands in southern Kyushu." Kazue answered happily, as she continued to follow her tour guide.
Hwoarang couldn't help but raise a brow at her response. It was quite a surprising one to him since most of the Japanese people he met were from metropolitan areas - people who were used to the hustle and bustle of high-paced city life.
"So you grew up there. You've clearly moved since then huh?" He continued to probe in a curious fashion as the two came to a cross-walk.
Kazue followed the redhead as they made their way to the street, making sure to check before crossing. The young woman laughed softly to herself as the two continued making small talk.
"Unfortunately yes. My little brother and I had to come and live in Tokyo with our paternal grandfather." The Kazama replied to the Korean.
Hwoarang's brow raised again with curious intent as he was finding Kazue's answers to be interesting. He couldn't help but wonder what the unfortunate circumstance was that caused her and the little brother to seek refuge with their grandfather.
"I see. We're almost there so keep up!" The fiery red-haired youth chuckled.
Miss Kazama made sure to quicken her pace to keep up with the Korean. He seemed to be very lithe and agile: almost like a gazelle. It also didn't help that she was much shorter than the Korean but she did her best to be just as fast as the red head.
"So what about you Hwoarang?" The young woman inquired with a friendly smile gracing her visage.
The Korean glanced down at the Japanese woman beside him catching a gentle smile on her face. He did ask quite a question so it was only right to answer hers even though he wasn't sure where to begin.
"Well I'm from here… grew up right smack in the city center. Didn't have to move anywhere. My parents… I don't know them, so my Tae Kwon Do master pretty much was a father to me. Took me in and cared for me." Hwoarang responded while scratching his head in a nonchalant manner before quickly turning down a side street.
Kazue still followed closely behind – she felt a little down for asking the question. The young woman stayed quiet for a long while before bumping into the Korean as he came to a stop.
"The best Dak-Galbi in all of Seoul is just beyond this door! You ready?" He smirked with pride and confidence holding the door ajar for the Kazama to enter the little establishment.
Kazue smiled brightly at the rouge Korean as the scent of good food came wafting out the open door. It was overpowering but in a good way, the aroma was spicy yet savory. The more the young woman stood still the more her mouth began to water.
"Smells great. This better be amazing, Hwoarang!" The Kazama said as she peeked around the corner of the open door. The essence of the delicious food causing her stomach to rumble loudly.
Hwoarang laughed once more after hearing the young woman's stomach growl like a ferocious beast. He urged Kazue inside and the two found a table to sit at reasonably fast. Once settled, Kazue became more curious about the ingredients contained in the dish the redhead was so fond of.
"So what's in this Dak-Galbi anyway?" She pondered aloud, trying to take her mind off the onslaught of delicious aromas in the restaurant.
Meanwhile, Hwoarang sat with one leg held to his chest with his arm haphazardly perched on his knee. He seemed to be enjoying the savory smells of the eatery himself.
"Well, it's a stir fried chicken dish. Basically like a one pot meal, you have sweet potato, yellow curry sauce, gochujang, mirin, gochugaru, green onions, ddeok, and enoki mushrooms." Hwoarang explained with vigor, waiting patiently for the waiter to take their order.
With the order taken and beverages served, the duo sat eagerly awaiting the arrival of the famed Dak-Galbi. Stomachs rumbled and mouths watered as they sat.
"From the way you described it earlier Hwoarang, this dish sounds delicious!" Kazue sighed while taking a sip of her water trying to appease the growling monster that was her belly.
Hwoarang sat with his head back against the wall beside him, hoping to keep himself distracted enough to resist eating his entire arm off. He swore to himself that he had never been so hungry before in his life – and turned to Kazue so he could keep up the conversation.
"So what's it like in Japan. I've never been but have met loads of people from there," he began - sitting himself up properly, crossing his legs and resting his hands on his ankles.
Kazue smiled at Hwoarang while nodding her head respectfully. It was nice to have a day out like this: it was something the young Kazama never really got to do much back home in Japan.
"Well… how would you say… it's not exactly how people imagine it. I mean of course, there are polite and respectful people but there's also rude people. But then again, what do I know really… I live a very sheltered life. Not by choice." The young beauty mumbled the last part more to herself than to the person she was speaking to.
She hated thinking about her grandfather when she was in a seemingly happy mood. The thought of the old man would always make her feel despondent, withdrawn, and agitated. Even when she wasn't in the Elder Mishima's presence his mere existence loomed over her like a dark rain storm - ready to strike her with lightning at any given time.
Hwoarang, being highly intuitive when it came to reading people's faces, emotions, and actions, knew the young lady's mood had dropped slightly. He noticed how she began to mumble before she stopped speaking entirely. The Korean had a feeling there was much more to her story than just moving from Yakushima to Tokyo so she could live with her grandfather. Either way, the redhead decided now wasn't the time to get into details about family dynamics - or in his case, lack of.
"I guess one day in the distant future in some far off dream I'll get to go to Japan and see it for myself." Hwoarang chuckled lowly as he wore his trademark smirk.
Before either could drum up more small talk, their food arrived piping hot in one big pot. The spicy yet savory smell rising from the steam of the dish was mesmerizing and intoxicating – bringing pangs of hunger back again. Kazue stared down at the mountain of food with wide and excited eyes. The young woman promised herself that she would not eat more than she needed - but the aroma of the Dak-Galbi was challenging her very aggressively.
"I don't know about you but… I'm going to start eating, so you might want to help yourself before it's gone! Can't make promises there will be any left." The Korean announced as he grabbed one of the ceramic bowls and began dishing some of the Dak-Galbi out for himself.
The Kazama wasted no time serving herself a portion of the Dak-Galbi and tucking in. It might have seemed impolite of her to begin eating so fast and the young woman quickly sat down her metal chopsticks while muttering an apology for being so hasty. That gesture alone sent Hwoarang into a tailspin of confusion as his brows furrowed in the center - making little lines appear. He stared perplexed at Kazue for a few moments before taking some ddeok into his chopsticks and eating it.
"Why apologize Kazue? Is your grandfather big on table manners or something?" The redhead asked in a joking manner to the beauty sat across him.
The Korean's witty retort made the Kazama blush a furious crimson red as she reclaimed the chopsticks she'd dropped a moment earlier. The comment the upstart made didn't offend her in anyway. It only served to prove a point that no matter where she was, what she did or who she was with, Mishima Heihachi's presence would be felt.
After a few moments of eating in silence, Kazue finally worked up the bravery to speak once again. She smiled anxiously at Hwoarang for a moment before finally verbalizing the words she wanted to articulate.
"He actually is. Very big on table manners and other things. Traditional would probably be a more accurate way of describing him. Traditional and overbearing." She replied calmly, trying to conceal the shaking in her voice due to her anxiety. The nervousness she felt was partially due to Hwoarang's unsuspecting wit and her very response. In her mind, she was half expecting the Elder Mishima to storm right into the little restaurant and drag her out kicking and screaming for speaking ill of him.
Hwoarang grinned mischievously while taking a quick sip of water to clear his palette. He shook his head laughing quietly to himself. The Korean wasn't surprised when she said she lived a sheltered life, but hearing the young woman describe her grandfather was funny. To the red-haired rogue it seemed as if she was afraid of speaking against him.
"So your granddad has a stick up his ass right? You said you worked for a conglomerate, no? I'm going to assume the conglomerate you work for is dear old granddad's? I've seen my fair share of old grumpy Japanese businessmen… they're all very uptight and traditional." The Korean remarked with a bit of witty sarcasm. It was his way of trying to relax the young woman before him; it was his way of trying to make her laugh.
Kazue giggled softly because of Hwoarang's bluntness about the whole thing. She had to admire the audacity the Korean had when it came to speaking his mind. He had courage and was fearless, yet never seemed to care about the possibility of getting into trouble. He seemed like the kind a guy that lived in the moment and to the fullest - doing whatever he pleased. Deep down, that was something the young Kazama wanted to do to, live her life freely and happily.
"Yeah well let's just say my grandfather runs his house with an iron fist." The young woman proclaimed boldly while finishing the last of her Dak-Galbi.
This caused Hwoarang to let out a loud burst of laughter. They'd only spent a few hours together and he felt like he was becoming a bad influence on her. The Korean couldn't deny the fact that her comeback was rather good. Of course, the redhead had no clue what her grandfather was like but if he really did run his house with an iron fist, The Blood Talon felt really bad for both her, and her little brother.
"I imagine you have a curfew then? If he's so old fashioned he probably wants you home before dinner?" Hwoarang replied, still keeping a humorous tone laced in his voice as he sat his chopsticks on their stand carefully.
Kazue jumped slightly in surprise and quickly raised her wrist to check her watch. A look of displeasure swiftly marred her visage after realizing it was getting close to her curfew for the day - before glancing at the man sat across her. The young woman's cheeks began to flush red again as she stared sheepishly at the Korean. Even though she just had a meal, she knew the Mishima Elder would want her home regardless of the fact.
"Actually… yeah. It's embarrassing I know… I just… gotta go, so." The young woman muttered quietly, seemingly ashamed of the fact that her tyrannical care taker was so demanding. However, she knew if she showed up late to dinner nothing good would come from it… nothing good at all.
Hwoarang seemed amazed when Kazue confirmed his little joke to be truth, yet at the same time he understood why. Baek would always make sure the youth came back to the dojang for dinner, and it was the one thing in his life that was structured and almost normal. The Korean stood up and dug around in his pockets for the notes crunched and crumpled in the tight denim and tossed them on the table.
Kazue stared wide-eyed as he tossed the money on the table. At first, she thought she had offended the Korean, but quickly pushed that thought aside while fishing through her bag to pay for the food herself.
"Here… let me at least pay half. I don't want to seem ungrateful." She said softly, still digging through her bag.
Hwoarang snickered to himself quietly while grabbing the young woman by the arm and pulling her to her feet, trademark smirk firmly in place.
"No no no, I got this one! It's on me. No worries, though next time we meet up you'll have to pay for the Dak-Galbi. Then consider it even! Now let's get you back to the coffee shop so gramps won't have a heart attack, okay?" The red-haired youth laughed motioning for Kazue to take the lead.
The Kazama smiled back at the red-haired man and shook her head. Grabbing the strap of her bag and pulling it over her head so it rested across her torso, Kazue then bowed to Hwoarang in a show of gratitude.
"Consider it a done deal then. I'll pay for Dak-Galbi next time!" She announced as the two made their way out of the restaurant and back to their original meeting spot.
It had been a long day but the few short hours she had seemed to pass the young woman by. She hated that her day was over and on the walk back to the coffee shop; Kazue prepared herself for the re-assimilation back into the oppressive atmosphere that was her grandfather.
Hwoarang didn't say much on the walk back - noticing the young woman's mood beginning to tank slightly. He did manage to say a few silly little things here and there to try and coax a laugh or smile from her, but the Korean knew that she was preparing to go back into iron-fisted tradition.
"I'll see you around… I'm sure of it. Well depending on how long you're staying that is. We'll hang out again. If you want, here's where you can reach me if you need a break from gramps." The Korean handed Kazue a ripped piece of paper with a number written on it very hastily - with the redhead's name above it.
Kazue blushed slightly as she accepted the paper and folded it neatly, placing it in the pocket of her jeans. She smiled nervously giving a slight bow of her head mostly out of habit.
"Thank you. I'll see you around then!" She replied before beginning her trek back to the posh hotel a few blocks ahead.
Hwoarang smirked and gave a wave of his hand as he walked backwards away from the young woman.
"Don't let gramps see that paper! He might not want you to spend time with a boy you know! Would cause heart failure… not traditional!" He called back laughing boisterously.
The Korean's snark made the young woman stop and double over with laughter. Once Kazue regained her composure and shouted back to the redhead before making her way back to the hotel.
"I'll be sure to remember that!"
~X~